I Can’t Wait to Show You….

Even though it’s not finished.

So it started off here….sort of. I forgot to take a before picture, I almost always forget to take a before picture….but you get the idea.

And then came the new machines. The unbelievably, amazingly, ridiculously priced machines! 

And then the new layout and cabinets. We’re still waiting for the delivery of the sink and faucet, and Husband needs to make the counter and back splash but I couldn’t wait to show you! 

And the funny thing is, even with more in the room it seems BIGGER! I’m loving how it’s turning out! Pretty soon Husband will ‘hand me the keys’ as he puts it and I’ll be able to add those nice little touches… like art on the walls, and a beautiful new rug. I also get to put everything back in the cabinets!  

I won't go into details, because that would be totally boring, but....Husband had to 'finesse' the cabinets to fit into the space we have (the sink cabinet was 1 1/2" too big to fit in between the machines and the other cabinet.) And that piece above the machines he had to design and make from scratch because the room is a weird shape and that part is at an angle....I warned you the details were boring.....What I'm saying is he is awesome and incredibly talented and he can do MATHS! 

(PS If the picture looks a little 'wonky' in places it's because I used the panorama mode to get it all into one shot.) 

Punny Monday

One thing that humbles me deeply is to see that human genius has its limits while human stupidity does not.

(footnote:I'm running out of good puns so I've decided to switch to PARAPROSDOKIANS.

PARAPROSDOKIANS (Winston Churchill loved them) are figures of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected; frequently humorous.)

Two More of the Collaboration

Here are two more from the collaboration with my friend Carol. I struggled with the first one….not sure why. I just wasn’t pleased with the way she was turning out. I finally admitted defeat….or is it acceptance? Either way I call her done. 

After

This was just mindless fooling around on my tablet. I like it.

Before

After

Thoughts on a Thursday

My Imagination exceeds my talent……

Wordless Wednesday

Too Many Changes for This Old Fart

Things are changing way too fast around here. Well, it’s not so much things are changing, although they are and change is, you know, HARD! It’s that the changes bring with them a host of new technology.

We got a new Cable system that brought with it a new menu to learn……with MORE menus within the menus! I was never very good at outlines in school, the Roman numerals, headings, sub-headings, lettering….blah, blah, blah…. all these menus bring back some very unpleasant memories.  

Not to mention a new remote!

Now we have a new washer and dryer I swear was designed by NASA engineers! Just LOOKING at it intimidates me! I want to wash my clothes not orbit the earth!

There are soooo many menus! If the pre-programmed choices don’t suit your needs….the menus have drill down menus….. and don’t even ask about the app for your phone that offers even MORE choices! (I’m not kidding…an APP!)

I used to have HOT/WARM/COLD to choose from on the old washer. Now I can actually choose the EXACT water temperature! Like I know what temperature is best for my clothes! I know water boils at 212°…….that is the extent of my water temperature knowledge.

Now it wants me to choose the type of cycle I want, the water temperature, the SPIN speed!!!! Do I want steam???? Wrinkle reducing?????……in the washing machine? WHAAAAAT????

I just want to do a load of laundry for God’s sake! I mean, I don’t even separate the clothes anymore. With just the two of us in the house there’s very little laundry to do so I just lump everything together in one big load!

I guess for people with a lot of laundry to do, big families, families with kids, who participate in sports…..these new machines are great. But for we empty nesters I don’t really need all the bells and whistles. So I’m suggesting to all the washer/dryer manufacturers of the world, it might be a selling point to add an ‘old fart’ cycle to your machines……for all us oldsters out here who just want to clean our clothes.

Just sayin’. 

PS A little added bonus for you....the 'Dryer Song'! (I had 'issues' uploading this video and I clipped it one note too short, lol. Just pretend the whole thing is there....I don't have the patience to re-record and fight to upload it again....)

Punny Monday

Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy.

(footnote:I'm running out of good puns so I've decided to switch to PARAPROSDOKIANS.

PARAPROSDOKIANS (Winston Churchill loved them) are figures of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected; frequently humorous.)

Defining Respect .......

.......when you replace the toilet paper roll in your son's bathroom with the end coming over the top, because that's the way he prefers it....even though it goes against every fiber of your being......

Thoughts on a Thursday

At a movie theater which arm rest is yours? 

Wordless Wednesday

Collaboration

A few weeks ago, in a burst of artistic fervor, I suggested to my online friend Carol we should exchange background pages to see what the other would do with them.

I ♥♥♥LOVE♥♥♥ her background pages….and as you know from this blog I am ‘background impaired’!

So…..we created and mailed our respective pages. She even sent me a finished piece on one of my backgrounds! I just adore her ‘girls’! They have such soul. 

Isn’t she sweet?

As an added bonus she made a tiny sketchbook from one of my backgrounds adding Khadi paper inside for me to play with. It even has a dangly bead! 

I took her papers and propped them up on my easel so I could ‘ruminate’ on them before taking pen to paper. As they sat on the easel I became more and more apprehensive about ruining them.

Sooooo…..I scanned them into the computer, opened one on Tabley and played in Sketchbook Pro. That way I could try out different ideas without messing up the original! Plus I can use them over and over!

This is the first one. Isn't it YUMMY? 

From this.....

To THIS!

Here is my first attempt. I like how working on a piece started by someone else pushed me out of my usual style. 

(She reminds me of an old friend, I call her 'Ginny'.)

Punny Monday

There's a fine line between cuddling and holding someone down so they can't get away.

(footnote:I'm running out of good puns so I've decided to switch to PARAPROSDOKIANS.

PARAPROSDOKIANS (Winston Churchill loved them) are figures of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected; frequently humorous.)

When You Think Your Husband is Losing His Mind

But it turns out it’s YOU!

Over the past several weeks we’ve noticed the dishwasher has been leaving little puddles on the floor for us to discover in the mornings. It’s old, well past its prime and predicted life span so, we have no complaints. But we still use it, while waiting for a replacement part.

Apparently it’s demanding more of our attention. Instead of just a small puddle in front of the machine it has decided to branch out into the living room. Thankfully into the unfinished part of the living room, the part where the old tiles have already been taken up but not re-tiled yet with the new ones so it’s bare concrete with splotches of white paint. I tell you this part so you’ll have more sympathy for me and see this tale from my point of view…..

Last night as we lay in bed listening to the offending machine, Husband mentioned he put down a piece of paper towel to see if it really IS the dishwasher causing the lake to form in the living room every night. Which, of course, made me get up to look because I can’t NOT look when someone says something like that.

So, there I am, standing in semi-darkness, looking for a paper towel to see if it’s wet. 

I see a trickle of  water spreading out across the room…..I see the concrete darkening from being wet.....but I DON’T see a paper towel. I turn on a light……wet, yes….paper towel no…….

I go back to the bedroom and ask, “You put down a paper towel?” “Yes,” says Husband.

I go back to the living room….and I look again. Nothing. No paper towel….just water.

I worry about Husband sometimes…..he seems to be getting just a little forgetful lately…so of course I go back into the bedroom to chide him about THINKING about putting down a paper towel but forgetting to do it.

He gets up, walks into the living room, turns on another light and points triumphantly at the soggy paper towel. 

Of course when I take a picture the flash illuminates the paper towel beautifully for all to see!

In my defense he had folded the paper towel in half….I was looking for a WHOLE paper towel….AND it was so totally drenched it was practically transparent! It blended in perfectly with the splotches of white paint on the concrete!

Of course none of that mattered because now I was the one staring senility in the face!

File this under any number of headings: #fadingeyesight…........#karmasabitch…..…#boomerangeffect…......#nevertrytomakefunofyourHusband….. take your pick! 

Thoughts on a Thursday

And on the seventh day she rusted……this growing old stuff ain’t for sissies…….

Wordless Wednesday

Olly Olly Oxen Free!

When you’re wondering why your husband isn't answering you…….

Punny Monday

 When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department usually uses water.

(footnote:I'm running out of good puns so I've decided to switch to PARAPROSDOKIANS.

PARAPROSDOKIANS (Winston Churchill loved them) are figures of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected; frequently humorous.)

So, as I Was Saying......Bits & Pieces.....

 I draw random 'bits & pieces' while watching TV with Husband. 

Sometimes they make a more interesting 'whole' when combined than drawing the creature/person organically all at once. 

This

plus this

and this

and this

 scanned and combined in Photoshop make this

Then I printed him out and added clothes and color and texture.

I added facial features from my old PDF sheets cleaned him up a bit, re-scanned him and voilà!

I prefer collage the old school way, cutting and pasting IRL but I'm trying to improve my Photoshop skills. 

Like how to add a drop shadow. 

I need more practice but I'm pretty 'chuffed' with how he turned out. 

Thoughts on a Thursday

Where do people in Hell tell other people to go?

Wordless Wednesday

Don't Know What to Sketch?

I know I've said this before but......

I've been using my nightly TV watching time to do sketches in my manila folder sketchbook. 

Just odd disjointed 'things'. 

Stay tuned for what I did with some of them.

Punny Monday

You're never too old to learn something stupid.

(footnote:I'm running out of good puns so I've decided to switch to PARAPROSDOKIANS.

PARAPROSDOKIANS (Winston Churchill loved them) are figures of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected; frequently humorous.)